William Boss Foundation
The William Boss Foundation is a private foundation based in St. Paul, Minnesota. It makes grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations furthering or engaged in the performing and fine arts.
William Boss Foundation at a glance
In short: William Boss Foundation gave $509K across 68 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Minnesota. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $509,000
- +15.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 68
- +9.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,485
- +5.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $6,000
- Total assets
- $6,201,653
- +2.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (9 of 68, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to William Boss Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Contact Dan McKeown. The foundation encourages use of the Minnesota Common Grant Application form; organizations outside Minnesota may also use it. If applying with that form, include the information specified in the foundation’s guidelines. Otherwise, submit a five-page proposal: a one-page letter from the organization’s president or an authorized solicitor stating the requested amount, intended use, and any timing constraints; evidence of current 501(c)(3) status from the IRS; and up to three pages of supporting documentation. Grants are for qualified 501(c)(3) organizations furthering or engaged in the performing and fine arts.
- Review Cycle
- Proposals may be submitted at any time.
- Deadline
- Proposals may be submitted at any time.
- Contact
Application contact: Dan Mckeown
Mailing address: 5858 Centerville Road, St Paul, MN 55127
Phone: (651) 653-0599
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William Boss Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Compas Inc ($18K). Together the top 10 received $133K.
Grant Size Distribution
307 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 306 grants of 307 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In filing year 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota and 1% to recipients in Pennsylvania. The listed leading recipients were based in Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 68 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is William Boss Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 68 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 84% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $409K (2022) to $509K (2025). In 2025 it made 68 grants totaling $509K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Compas Inc St. Paul, MN | General Operating Fund | $18,000 |
| Minnesota Opera Company Minneapolis, MN | General Operating Fund | $18,000 |
| Neighborhood House St. Paul, MN | General Operating Fund | $15,000 |
| Park Square Theatre Company St. Paul, MN | General Operating Fund | $15,000 |
| Ordway Center for the Performing Arts St. Paul, MN | General Operating Fund | $12,500 |
| Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Society St. Paul, MN | General Operating Fund | $12,500 |
| Family Means Stillwater, MN | General Operating Fund | $12,000 |
| Children's Theatre Company Minneapolis, MN | General Operating Fund | $10,000 |
| Guthrie Theatre Foundation Minneapolis, MN | General Operating Fund | $10,000 |
| Keystone Community Services St. Paul, MN | General Operating Fund | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,201,653 | $738,203 | $599,544 | $509,000 | 68 | $511,149 | $558,655 | $516,801 |
| 2024 | $6,073,063 | $945,004 | $507,842 | $441,000 | 62 | $442,910 | $780,072 | $465,597 |
| 2023 | $5,641,579 | $573,789 | $495,952 | $424,000 | 59 | $426,810 | $414,671 | $437,005 |
| 2022 | $5,566,493 | $798,604 | $495,039 | $408,500 | 58 | $410,255 | $629,306 | $478,793 |
| 2021 | $5,270,703 | $707,376 | $517,927 | $451,500 | 60 | — | $547,645 | $440,053 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William Boss Foundation reported a distributable amount of $517K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated grantmaking scope is performing and fine arts. Its 2025 grants included general operating support for arts organizations such as COMPAS, Minnesota Opera Company, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Society.
Grantees describe a range of activities in their own missions. COMPAS says it delivers creative experiences that unleash potential; the Ordway says it creates shared experiences for audiences and artists through live performance; and Lakeshore Players says it provides community enrichment and education through the performing arts. Other supported organizations include One Voice Mixed Chorus, which describes its work as building community and creating social change through song, and Textile Center of Minnesota, which says it promotes textile traditions, innovation, appreciation, and participation in fiber art.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 68 grants totaling $509,000. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $18,000, with a median of $6,000. The largest grants included COMPAS Inc. ($18,000), Minnesota Opera Company ($18,000), Neighborhood House ($15,000), Park Square Theatre Company ($15,000), Ordway Center for the Performing Arts ($12,500), and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Society ($12,500). Each of these grants was for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Heidi McKeown as chair, Dan McKeown as president, Desmond McKeown as treasurer, and Isabella O’Branski as secretary.
William Boss Foundation is led by Dan McKeown, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dan McKeown
President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Heidi McKeown
Chair
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Desmond McKeown
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Isabella O'Branski
Secretary
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Isabella McKeown (2021–2023) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about William Boss Foundation
How much does William Boss Foundation give each year?
William Boss Foundation gave $509K across 68 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $441K across 62 grants.
What is William Boss Foundation's typical grant size?
William Boss Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $6,000, and its average grant was $7,485, across 68 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from William Boss Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does William Boss Foundation give grants?
William Boss Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were St. Paul, MN (36 grants), Minneapolis, MN (22 grants) and Stillwater, MN (2 grants).
Does William Boss Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of William Boss Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (68 of 68) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are William Boss Foundation's largest grantees?
William Boss Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Compas Inc ($18,000), Minnesota Opera Company ($18,000) and Neighborhood House ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 10% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is William Boss Foundation?
William Boss Foundation reported $6.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $511K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $517K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does William Boss Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated grantmaking scope is performing and fine arts. Its 2025 grants included general operating support for arts organizations such as COMPAS, Minnesota Opera Company, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Society. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William Boss Foundation?
Contact Dan McKeown. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is William Boss Foundation's EIN?
William Boss Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-6038452. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS October 30, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). William Boss Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/william-boss-foundation-morg_071a7a5f999143bfb478adbe07c7284e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_416038452_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{William Boss Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/william-boss-foundation-morg_071a7a5f999143bfb478adbe07c7284e},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-08. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from William Boss Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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